Kolkata Knight Riders have drafted in Karnataka wicketkeeper-batter Luvnith Sisodia as a replacement for Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana ahead of their crucial final league-stage fixture against Delhi Capitals in IPL 2026.

Pathirana has been ruled out of the remainder of the tournament after suffering a hamstring injury during KKR’s victory over Gujarat Titans last weekend. The Sri Lankan speedster, one of the franchise’s marquee signings at the auction, was bought for a massive INR 18 crore but endured an injury-plagued campaign.

The 23-year-old had already missed the early stages of the season due to a left calf injury sustained during Sri Lanka’s Super Eight campaign at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Although he eventually joined the squad in mid-April after recovering, his comeback proved short-lived.
Making his first appearance for KKR against Gujarat Titans, Pathirana bowled just 1.2 overs before leaving the field in visible discomfort with a left hamstring problem. Subsequent medical assessments confirmed that he would take no further part in the tournament.
In response, KKR have turned to Luvnith Sisodia, a promising left-handed wicketkeeper-batter from Karnataka. Sisodia has featured in 13 T20 matches at the domestic level but is still awaiting his IPL debut.

The youngster is no stranger to the IPL environment, having previously spent time with Royal Challengers Bengaluru before being picked up by KKR during the 2025 mega auction. His inclusion also strengthens Kolkata’s wicketkeeping options following injuries to Angkrish Raghuvanshi, who was sidelined after suffering a concussion and finger fracture earlier in the campaign.

KKR’s playoff hopes remain slim but alive heading into their final round-robin encounter. The defending champions will first need Rajasthan Royals to lose against Mumbai Indians. Even then, Kolkata must secure a convincing victory over Delhi Capitals to improve their net run rate sufficiently and overtake Punjab Kings for a place in the Eliminator.

The sixth edition of the Lanka Premier League has generated strong international interest, with more than 650 overseas cricketers registering for the 2026 player draft ahead of the tournament scheduled later this year.

According to the organisers, players from 21 cricket-playing nations have entered the registration pool, highlighting the growing global appeal of Sri Lanka’s premier franchise T20 competition.

The largest number of registrations from ICC Full Member nations came from Pakistan, South Africa, the West Indies, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, New Zealand, Australia and England. Pakistan topped the list with 102 players registering for the draft, while 75 players from the West Indies and 66 from South Africa also entered their names.

Bangladesh contributed 48 registrations, New Zealand 41, Australia 24, England 15 and India 12 players.

Several Associate Member nations have also shown strong representation, particularly the USA, UAE and Ireland, further underlining the league’s expanding international footprint.
Despite the large number of applications, only 310 overseas players will make the final shortlist for the Lanka Premier League 2026 player draft following a screening process conducted by the tournament organisers.

The official player draft is scheduled to be held on June 1, where the franchises will assemble their squads for the upcoming season.

The Lanka Premier League 2026 is set to run from July 17 to August 8 and is expected to feature a blend of international stars and Sri Lanka’s leading local talent.

Since its inception, the LPL has continued to grow in stature and has become an important platform for Sri Lankan players to compete alongside experienced overseas professionals while also attracting wider international attention to the country’s domestic cricket structure.

Vishmi Gunaratne produced a composed unbeaten half-century while Dewmi Vihanga starred with the ball as Sri Lanka ‘A’ Women secured a dominant 56-run victory over New Zealand ‘A’ Women in the second unofficial ODI at the Dambulla International Stadium on Saturday.
Batting first in the 20-over encounter, the hosts recovered from a few middle-order setbacks to post an imposing 152 for 5, with Vishmi anchoring the innings brilliantly.

Sri Lanka made a lively start through Sanjana Kavindi, who attacked the New Zealand bowlers early with a quickfire 27 off 20 balls, striking six boundaries before falling to Jess Watkin.
Vishmi then took charge of the innings, combining caution with timely aggression to keep the scoreboard moving. The left-hander found strong support from Vimoksha Balasuriya, who added 33 off 27 deliveries with two fours and two sixes during an important middle-order stand.

Although Sri Lanka lost a cluster of wickets late in the innings, Dewmi Vihanga’s explosive finish gave the innings further momentum. Dewmi blasted an unbeaten 14 from only three balls, including a six and two boundaries, helping the hosts finish strongly at the death.
New Zealand ‘A’ began the chase poorly and struggled to recover after losing wickets regularly against disciplined Sri Lankan bowling.

Captain Jess Watkin was dismissed in the opening over before Chamudi Praboda removed both Kate Anderson and JA Watkins to leave the visitors under pressure.

The innings never gained stability as Sri Lanka tightened their grip through the middle overs. Dewmi Vihanga then delivered the decisive blows, dismissing Tash Wakelin, Bella Armstrong and the dangerous Emma Black to effectively end New Zealand’s hopes.

Emma Black provided the lone resistance with an aggressive 28 off 20 balls, but the visitors were eventually bowled out for 96 in 19.5 overs.

Dewmi finished with impressive figures of 3 for 19 while Chamudi Praboda supported well with 2 for 15 as Sri Lanka ‘A’ completed a comprehensive all-round performance.